Mayor John Whitmire says the City of Houston is 'broke'
HOUSTON - Mayor John Whitmire delivering the hard, honest truth about the City of Houston's financial condition.
"I think we can all agree on that, we are broke. This gives us a chance to discuss the financial picture of this City. It is broken! It was broken when I got here," said Whitmire.
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With an estimated current deficit of at least $160 million, Whitmire is exploring a 5% across-the-board-cut to all aspects of City government, barring firefighters and police.
"I don't like a 5% cut now, but you have to make tough decisions and folks put me in this position to make tough decisions, and I'm going to do my job," said Whitmire.
A "job," which included settlement of the long festering labor impasse with firefighters at a cost of $650 million for seven years of back pay and an additional $180 million for annual wage hikes over the next five years.
Analysts say the deal delivers taxpayers a substantial discount from the amount an arbitrator would have likely awarded the aggrieved firefighters.
"This is going to come down to a financial sacrifice by the City. Now we can either be $1.2 billion broke or we can be $650 million broke," said City Council Member Willie Davis.
Council Member Tiffany Thomas expressed alarm at the mounting red ink.
"Are we going to fee Houstonians? Is it a trash fee? Are we paying for parking after six? Are we going after Metro's money? I mean what are we doing?" asked Thomas.
The mayor says the search for additional funding is underway and could include asking the taxpayers to step up.
"I'm not going to play games with people's lives. I'm not going to play politics with people's lives. So we have a responsibility to settle with the firefighters and protect Houstonians," said Whitmire.